SWAZI MEN STILL TAKING HIV RISKS

I wrote in May 2008 that the Swazi media were misleading people into believing that male circumcision could help in the fight against HIV AIDS.

I said that there was a wealth of evidence in the global medical community that circumcision made little or no difference to the way HIV was transmitted. My blog prompted a lot of response from readers, all of whom agreed with my general thesis.

As further evidence of how misinformation is spreading in Swaziland, this week the international news agency IRIN reported, ‘There is a growing belief among men in Swaziland that circumcision provides complete protection against HIV.’

The report, which has been published across the world goes on, ‘In recent years circumcision has been lauded by Swazi public health officials as a procedure that reduces the rate of HIV transmission by about 50 percent, but it is far from the silver bullet solution some men see it as.’

IRIN cites the case of Joy Magongo, a mother of two whose husband moved out to live with his second wife after the couple discovered they were both HIV-positive. ‘Men say, “I’ve been circumcised. I don’t have to wear a condom.” They get infected, and they give us HIV.

‘“He [my husband] was circumcised and felt he didn't have to wear a condom. When we found we had HIV after testing, he blamed me. He said, “You brought HIV into this house.” It was because I tested first, when I was pregnant with my second child,” she said.

‘“My husband did not believe he could be HIV-positive because he was circumcised. I did all I could to convince him to test, and he finally did. That was the end. He took another wife and left us,” Magongo said. Polygamy is legally recognised in Swaziland.’

IRIN quotes a Zambian doctor who treats HIV/AIDS patients at government hospitals, and who declined to be named. ‘“It’s the law of unintended consequences. Introducing the procedure, there was insufficient attention given to cultural factors, attitudes and human psychology.

‘“Many of the men I speak with think circumcision is like an AIDS vaccine. It’s not. It’s a useful tool to reduce chances of infection at a time and place where few other tools are available, but you can still contract HIV and pass it onto a partner,” he said.’

Even though there is much evidence that circumcision is ineffective in the fight against HIV AIDS, IRIN reports that in Swaziland people still believe it is of some use. So clearly, there is still a long way to go in educating people in the kingdom.

To read the full article click here.

See also
CIRCUMCISION

SWAZI MEDIA AND CIRCUMCISION MYTH